The government has decided in principle to steadily expand the network of the state-owned telecom operator Teletalk in all the 25 upazilas of the three hill districts, as it would be more economical than the expansion of digital telephone exchanges by BTTB, reports agency.

“The expansion of mobile phone network instead of installing digital telephone exchanges by BTTB will help save some Tk 109 crore of the national exchequre,” said CA’s special assistant for Post and Telecommunications Ministry Brig Gen (retd) MA Malek Saturday.

“They (people of CHT) have all the rights to enjoy the facility (of cellphone connectivity). I’ve discussed it with the Chief Adviser and it has been decided in principle to steadily expand the network in all the upazilas of the hill districts,” Malek told a meet-the-press programme with Telecom Reporters Forum, Bangladesh at the Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB).

There should not be any discrimination against the CHT people showing a flimsy excuse of terrorism, MA Malek said adding that the terrorists are more equipped with than they are thought to be.

About BTTB’s this fiscal year’s revenue earning, Malek said it has earned an amount of Tk 1,405 crore as of April, which is 75 percent of the total revenue target of Tk 1,927 crore.

“By June, we’ll be able to get closer to the target,” he said, recalling that the BTTB achieved 90 percent of its revenue target last fiscal year. Asked about the process of offloading Teletalk’s shares on the market, the CA’s special assistant said the process of offloading its 30 percent shares is underway.

About Teletalk’s network expansion elsewhere in the country, he said some 70 base trans-receiver stations, which were virtually out of service for lack of electricity, will be put back into operation and this will help expand its network across the country.

MA Malek assured the BTTB staff that no one of its 14,000 employees would lose their job when it would be transformed into a company. “Neither they will be forced to go on retirement, nor their activities will be monitored for the next two years,” he said.